Mirouze, Laurent./Dekerle, Stéphane The French Army in the First World War. 1914-1918. Uniforms - Equipment - Armaments. Volume 2

This work of 640 pages presents the incredible development of uniforms, armament and equipment of the French army from mobilization in August 1914 until the armistice in 1918. It thus completes the work published in 2007 on the French army at the outbreak of the war. Several hundred uniforms, artefacts and weapons belonging to the Musée d lArmée in Paris, other prestigious museums and rich private collections have been photographed in this magnificent book typical of publications by Verlag Militaria. Access to these exceptional collections and the exploitation of archives has enabled new fields to be explored. With astonishment the reader will discover original items never before published from such varied fields as aviation, body armours or gas masks. The uniforms of the most senior French military commanders, including the marshals batons of Foch, Joffre and Petain are equally presented to the public for the first time under optimal photographic conditions. Finally, an incredible iconography of the time, consisting of nearly 400 unpublished black-and-white and 10 contemporary coloured photographs from WW1 ("autochromes") drawn from the depths of private and public photograph archives make this work into an indisputable reference book on the uniforms of the French army in the First World War.

A large number of original uniforms, headgear, items of clothing, weapons and equipment from the Musée d l'Armée in Paris, other renowned museums and extensive private collections were photographed for this work in order to give the reader as broad a picture as possible of the army of the Grande Nation. Access to these unique collections and the opening up of archives have brought to light some completely unknown facts. The reader is also presented with impressive and never before published contemporary black-and-white photographs as well as 10 original colour photographs from the war (autochromes). These illustrate a wide variety of topics such as aviation, trench armour or gas protection, which was particularly important in the First World War, here from the museum of the medical troops in Val-de-grâce. An extraordinary chapter is dedicated to the French Adrian steel helmet, the development of which was a great achievement for the soldiers. But there are also displays of honours, such as the marshal's batons of Foch, Petain and Joffre. Uniforms of famous personalities and officers, which are shown to the public here for the first time under optimal photographic conditions, round off the picture, as do personal items from the possessions of important French flying aces. Let this book guide you through the development of the uniforms and equipment of the French army during the First World War!